Madeleine Albright even permitted him to smoke in her residence

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (L) and Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in 2012

MOSCOW, April 22. /TASS /. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov felt comfortable with all US Secretaries of State he had a chance to work with, and Madeleine Albright even permitted him to smoke in her residence. He said as much on Wednesday in an interview with three Russian radio stations, answering a question of US Ambassador to Russia John Tefft which of US Secretaries of State were easy to do business with.

According to Russia’s top diplomat, he feels very comfortable with John Kerry as well as with Hillary Clinton, Condoleezza Rice and Madeleine Albright. Lavrov said that he had communicated with Madeleine Albright when he was Russia’s special envoy [to the United Nations] in New York City, and she allowed him to smoke in her residence. "That was a floor in Astoria hotel, and we broke the then US quite liberal legislation," he added.

"I feel good with all of them," Lavrov said. It all depends on one’s personal qualities. If you feel comfortable with a person, the issues you discuss with him or her are of little importance. You either resolve or don’t resolve them all the same. I can’t say that I feel comfortable only with those who agree with me and we come to an agreement. I realize that the Secretary of State has his or her own policy, which far from always or practically never, if we take the present day, coincides with Russia’s stand.".